Zach Hickerson breaks silence after bar fight involving brother Brian, Hayden Panettiere’s ex; hints rumors about her death played a role

A bar confrontation involving Hayden Panettiere’s ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach Hickerson has taken a new turn, with Zach suggesting that rumors about the actress’s death helped fuel the incident.

The brothers were at Wild Wing Cafe in Greenville, South Carolina, on Saturday, September 12, when police responded to reports of an assault. Zach was booked for disorderly conduct, while Brian was released without being arrested.

After his release, Zach expressed frustration over the rumors surrounding Panettiere’s death and suggested that people had acted on information they saw online without knowing the full story.


Asked what happened during the bar fight, Zach told TMZ: "It's just super frustrating all that we've been through and all the rumours that get started and then people believe them and then they attack as a result of the rumours. That's what p***** me off."

Zach later complained about information being posted online, saying people "fill in their own holes" before attacking others based on what they assume happened. He did not explain which claims he believed were inaccurate, but added: "I'll clarify eventually."

Sources previously told the outlet that Zach and Brian were being heckled at the venue over Panettiere's death before the confrontation turned physical.

Brian was reportedly seen throwing a bar stool during the incident. Despite the confrontation, he was released without being arrested, while Zach was booked for disorderly conduct.

Zach also declined to comment when asked how Brian was coping following the death of his girlfriend.

Panettiere, known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, died on August 16 at the age of 36. Both Zach and Brian were present at the scene when she was declared dead.

Brian, who had previously been jailed over domestic violence incidents involving Panettiere, later issued an official statement through his attorney. The statement stressed that the medical examiner had found no evidence of foul play and urged people to "allow the investigation to proceed."

The circumstances surrounding Panettiere's death remain under investigation, and toxicology results have not yet been released.